En la España Medieval (ISSN 0214-3038, ISSN-e 1988-2971) is an annual journal founded in 1980. It is devoted to all fields and aspects of Medieval History with particular reference to the Hispanic kingdoms, al-Andalus and fields referring to the Iberian Peninsula.
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Pyrenean Settlers and Animal husbandry in the Early Stages of the Comital Dominion of Osona (Central Catalonia, 9th–10th Centuries)
There is documentary evidence suggesting that the incorporation of Osona into the comital domain during the last quarter of the ninth century—which marked the beginning of the feudalization of the local populations—was accompanied by the settlement of inhabitants from the Pyrenees, referred to in the sources as cerdans, with an early chronology coinciding with that of the conquest itself. Their arrival appears to be linked to the interests of the aristocracy rooted in the initial conquest zone, specifically the Cerdan viscountal lineage, and to one of its descendants, the comital vicar Sala. In this process, livestock farming also played a significant role. However, the limitations inherent to early written documentation and the absence of archaeological evidence warrant a cautious approach regarding the extent and role of Pyrenean settler activity under the aegis of the comital conquest.
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Introducción. Ganadería, dominios políticos, conquistas y colonizaciones ibéricas (siglos IX-XVII)
En general, la ganadería es considerada como una opción productiva adecuada a espacios poco poblados, a menudo tenidos, también, por poco aptos para el desarrollo agrícola. No hay duda de que, al precisar comparativamente menos fuerza de trabajo que la requerida por las prácticas agrícolas, esta solución se convirtiera a menudo en la mejor de las alternativas productivas, cuando no en la única posible. Si, como en el caso de las fronteras medievales peninsulares, se añade la actividad militar, la ganadería adquiere aún un peso más hegemónico, si cabe.
Wastelands, pastures and royal grants: the access to commons by monasteries and the transformations in local communities (Castile and Rioja Alta, tenth-twelfth centuries)
This article analyses the role of royal and count (in the case of Castile) grants related to commons in favour of some monasteries. The case study is the area of the former County of Castile and the Rioja Alta between the tenth and twelfth centuries. The examination of count and royal grants denies the idea of privatisation of common lands, although some places (vacarizas), albeit they were part of the commons, were exploited for private use. The monasteries became demanding neighbours or protective lords, without destroying the complex network of collective uses. However, social and political practices were transformed, giving rise to the construction of new forms of social domination that took as their starting point the micropolitics around the collective areas. Livestock farming acted as an agent that favoured the development of local lordship.
The Conquest Seen Through Other Eyes: Livestock and the Construction of Rural Society in the Northern Region of the Kingdom of Valencia (1233–1335)
Traditionally, the processes of conquest and colonization led by Latin Christendom have been interpreted primarily from an agricultural perspective. The focus has been placed on the development of farming spaces and the introduction of agricultural practices different from those used by indigenous societies. However, written and archaeological sources provide evidence of the significance that livestock raising acquired. Our aim is to assess its importance in the construction of rural society in the northern region of the Kingdom of Valencia during the first century of its existence. To this end, we will analyze the possible use of livestock in the invasion of al-Andalus, the organization of pasturelands following the thirteenth-century conquest, the social actors involved in its regulation, the conflicts it generated, and the scale reached by an activity that became hegemonic in the fourteenth century.
Controlling livestock, managing pastures in the Cantabrian Mountains (13th–17th centuries)
Current challenges facing rural areas, along with issues related to livestock and land management, provide a framework for examining the historical configuration of the landscape and territorial governance in the Cantabrian Mountains from the central centuries of the Middle Ages onward. This period is marked by significant transformations in both resource exploitation systems and the composition and active involvement of social groups. The complementary use of written documentary sources, archaeological evidence, and ethnographic data enables a preliminary approach to these processes of change through three key dimensions: the diversity of livestock species, fire management practices, and the emergence of new forms of social capital associated with these transformations.
Privatization and control of livestock spaces in late medieval Andalusia
From the very outset of the Christian conquest of the territories within the Guadalquivir Valley, a systematic process of land enclosure for pastoral purposes was set in motion. The origins of these enclosures were shaped by a multiplicity of factors, and their ownership structures proved equally diverse. This study seeks not only to examine the causes and typologies underpinning these enclosures, but also to explore their evolution and complexity between the thirteenth and fifteenth centuries, shedding light on the political and economic motivations that informed the actions of the various stakeholders involved — the Crown, municipal councils, local oligarchies, and the nobility. In addition, the research will address the conflicts arising from the establishment of certain wooded pastures or dehesas, identifying the principal actors and assessing the social, legal, and territorial repercussions of these disputes.
Livestock farming in Casarabonela, land of Málaga, after the Castilian conquest (15th-16th centuries)
This study of the town of Casarabonela (Málaga, Kingdom of Granada) raises questions about livestock farming in the context of the Castilian-Andalusian conquest and colonisation. The original population, which remained numerically superior until 1570, maintained different strategies and practices regarding livestock compared to the Castilian settlers. Of special relevance is the imposition of livestock regulations which favoured large livestock owners. Lastly, the changes and imbalance between agriculture and livestock farming following the replacement of the Moorish inhabitants by Old Christian settlers in the last third of the 16th century are highlighted.
Population, territory and livestock in the Eastern Canary Islands (1200-1700)
The Eastern Canary Islands were a territory where the types and uses of livestock farming remained consistent from the late pre-Hispanic period to the first half of the Modern era. The small population of Fuerteventura and Lanzarote, and southern Gran Canaria, favored extensive livestock farming, both small and large. Cattle, in their various forms of exploitation, were the dominant force in these areas, as most of the land belonged to tribes or clans during the pre-Hispanic period, or to families/kin groups during the historical period. These groups grazed their livestock on communal, royal, or manorial lands, or, in most cases, on lands without clear ownership. In these areas, livestock was the primary means of production and income generation for its owners. Livestock was not only a factor in colonization, favoring the interests of large landowners, but it also became a key element in establishing settlements in some of the rugged and isolated areas of the islands. Furthermore, it became the primary means of livelihood for the original inhabitants and the Moorish laborers who arrived as slaves after the conquest. The economic development of the vast, almost uninhabited areas of the three islands cannot be understood without the presence of livestock, just as territorial colonization and a permanent human presence would not have been possible without a livestock population capable of generating sustained income.
Lost Livestock. Herds and Iberian Conquests (12th-17th centuries)
The article analyzes the connection between the processes of conquest and colonization in certain areas of the Iberian Peninsula and America, highlighting the continuity of extensive livestock practices as a key element in territorial expansion. Ch. Bishko suggested that ranching in large open spaces, first developed in the peninsula, served as a precedent for its implementation in America. Through various examples from the Kingdom of Granada and the current province of Catamarca (Argentina), this practice is analyzed, characterized by the “loose” management of livestock, the participation of armed horsemen and shepherds, the straying of some of these “cerreros” animals, the branding, and the need to regularly concentrate them in “mestas.” In this sense, the articulation of looting activities with periods of livestock movements is emphasized. Furthermore, it is argued that extensive ranching not only adapted to empty spaces but also contributed to their emptying, eroded previous practices, and prefigured domains. The article also explores how these livestock practices persisted even after the conquests and the settlement of new populations, generating tensions during the integration of this ranching inertia in contexts of proliferating restrictive rights and agrarianization.
In the north of the kingdom of Valencia. Wool and textile production in Cinctorres, village of Morella, at the beginning of the 15th century
We outline the existing information on wool production and trade, and also textile industry (draps de la terra) in a mountainous rural area such as Cinctorres, a village in the region of Morella (northern medieval kingdom of Valencia), at a time of economic prosperity linked to the presence and activities of Italian merchants.
Formation and Dynamics of an Intellectual Community of the Late Middle Ages: Polish Conciliarists, Kraków University, and Catalan Theologian Marcus Bonifili
This article aims to reconstruct the rules that facilitated the emergence and sustenance of an intellectual community composed of a group of Polish conciliarists centered around Kraków University and the Catalan theologian, Professor Marcus Bonifili (d. 1453), who served as a delegate at the Council of Basel. The Council of Basel, spanning 1431-1449, provided a space for mutual interactions, not only geographically but also within a shared mental space, where ideas, hopes, and interests converged. Within this space, specific individuals came together, creating a community founded on political alliances, mutual respect, shared antipathies, rational considerations, and emotional experiences. By analyzing certain Basel, Catalan, Polish, and Czech sources, this article examines the elements and conditions contributing to forming such a community, including common ideas, authority, financial support, favors, political ties, and networks of cultural exchange and dissemination. This investigation enables the characterization of the community’s nature and foundations, emphasizing strong emotional bonds and a broader network of personal, institutional, and political relations. The findings shed light on the intricate dynamics of intellectual communities during the Council of Basel, highlighting the multifaceted interactions that shaped their identity and longevity.
From a place to a town with a castle. History of the Town of Turégano in the medieval ecclesiastical documents
During the last five centuries there have been any attempts to establish the origin of the town and castle in Turégano, proposing different theories about the date of construction of the fortress. The present article tries to establish the origin of that castle, and town using the documents hosted in the most important archives, searching for an academic answer to a traditional and historical doubt.
“And they debated much about this“: a medical collation on the graduation of medicines through the court of the veguer of the city of Lleida (1407)
In the city of Lleida, at the beginning of the 15th century, a collation (meeting) of three doctors took place in the house of a sick man at the request of several of his friends and the attending physician to assess his illness and the treatment that had been given to him, which had caused a hemorrhage. This meeting led to a discussion about the qualities and suitability of the medicine, which caused an altercation between two doctors, both professors at the Faculty of Medicine of Lleida, which ended in a complaint to the court of the veguer of the city. In this paper, we analyse all the details of the case and its relevance for the study of several aspects of medical practice during the late Middle Ages.
The lease of inland saltworks (mallāḥa) according to Andalusi notarial formularies (11th–14th centuries)
Despite the importance that salt had during the Andalusian period, both for consumption and for its agricultural, livestock, artisanal, or pharmacological uses, there are a few documents that discuss it or its exploitation. On this occasion, we analyze seven Andalusian notarial forms that regulate the leasing of inland saltworks, which we consider an agricultural activity rather than a mining one, despite the mineral nature of the product. Finally, we present four hypotheses that might justify the scarcity of information in Islamic law treatises.
War and peace between Portugal and Castile: the conferences at the end of the Middle Ages
Between 1369 and 1480, the kingdoms of Portugal and Castile clashed five times. This article evaluates the role of meetings between members of the royal families in these conflicts. It analyzes why these encounters became infrequent between the mid-fourteenth and mid-fifteenth centuries, why they resurfaced during the reigns of Afonso V of Portugal and Enrique IV of Castile, and their influence on the Portuguese-Castilian peace of 1479-1480. It examines how war and direct diplomacy shaped the development of diplomatic mechanisms and the outcomes of the conflicts.
The kingdom of Galicia and the articulation of the peninsular monarchies (914-1230). New approach proposals
This article examines the articulation of the kingdom of Galicia with other political constructions in the north of the Iberian Peninsula between the tenth and thirteenth centuries. My hypothesis proposes a progressive integration with capacities of variable intensity within a regnum of Leonese center that is in turn built in a long process through the addition of royal realities. For its development, the conceptual tools of composite monarchies are applied to the primary sources and the practical forms in the exercise of power by the holders of the Galician kingdom are examined. Thus, a first time of greater variation is marked, between the succession of Alfonso III and the coronation of Alfonso VII, in which times of individuality, of the so-called «personal unions» and aeque principaliter alternate; and also, a second one VII in which the definitive «accessory union» takes shape. The article concludes with the confirmation of the slow and changing evolution in the configuration of a more generic royal power in the north of the peninsula as well as the variability of ways in which the kingdom of Galicia is articulated with respect to it over time.
Ava de Fenollet. Study of an Occitan Viscountess in the Mid-13th Century
This article focuses on Ava, daughter of Pere V de Fenollet, a viscounty that is currently located in the department of the Pyrénées-Orientales (France) but that historically formed part of Languedoc. Pere de Fenollet was accused of heresy and excommunicated in 1262, consequently, the viscounty was suppressed. Concerning Ava, she married Jausbert, Viscount of Castelnou; later, she divorced him and joined the Ille-sur-Têt Hospice. In this work, these events will be analyzed based on unpublished documentation kept in the ADPO. The information will be related to the historical context with the aim to understand the motivations behind Ava's marriage and divorce. Finally, the figure of this lady will be analyzed through a scheme developed by queenship studies and focused on three categories: formal power, informal power and social representation. This will allow us to deeper into issues such as marriage clauses, women's management of their dowries and female support networks.
Introduction. Ambassadors and female mediators: Agents of Diplomacy in the Construction of International Relations During the Middle Ages (12th-15th centuries)
Introducción. Mandaderos y mediadoras: Agentes de la diplomacia en la construcción de las relaciones internacionales en la Edad Media (ss. XII-XV)
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Diplomacy, family ties and divided loyalties: Joan of Navarre as a queenly diplomat
This article examines the diplomatic agency of Joan of Navarre (c. 1369-1437) as queen consort and queen dowager of England. It focuses particularly on the period between 1403 and 1419 and her role as a key pivot point between England and Brittany, as the wife and stepmother of English kings and the mother of Jean V of Brittany. The case study demonstrates key strategies that Joan used to engage in diplomatic relations, both formal aspects such as gift giving and informal “back-channel” methods of influence using her familial networks and trusted courtiers. It offers a reconsideration of the important role that Joan, like other queens and royal women, played in diplomacy which has often been overlooked as the focus has been on male actors and formal negotiations.
“Great Affection, True Friendship, and Indissoluble Love”: Bonds, Actors, and Diplomatic Mechanisms between Queen Violante de Bar and Charles III of Navarre
This article examines the diplomatic mechanisms employed by Queen Violante de Bar in her relationship with Charles III of Navarre, focusing on how their kinship and mutual trust consolidated strategic and political alliances between the Crown of Aragon and Navarre during the Late Middle Ages. Through communication networks, envoys, and symbolic gifts, the queen played a pivotal role in diplomacy, addressing marriage negotiations, territorial agreements, and the resolution of border conflicts. The research reveals the active role of queens consort in medieval diplomacy, highlighting how Violante, through a combination of familial relationships and political intervention, contributed to the establishment of a strong collaboration between the two territories.
From Pawn to Queen: Female Power and the Diplomacy of Queen Catherine of Lancaster
In terms of diplomacy, a queen could play a variety of roles, from being a mere agent used for a particular policy, to directing this foreign policy. This paper analyses the case of Catherine of Lancaster and whether her origin was used by the royal power (whether she ruled or not) to achieve specific diplomatic objectives, focused in the relations with England and Portugal.
The Ambassador to the Queen. Instructions, Mediation, and Diplomatic Ceremony around Castilian Queens and Infantas (13th-15th centuries)
Diplomatic praxis in medieval courts encompasses a diverse range of profiles. The exchange of messages and the selection of individuals tasked with furthering specific political interests pertains not only to ambassadors but also to various officials in royal service and, importantly, to the women of the royal family. Their roles as mediators and their essential presence during diplomatic gatherings are crucial for understanding their specific relevance, whether due to familial, political, or protocol-related factors. This paper seeks to explore the participation of women in diplomatic activities, with a particular focus on the Castilian context in the late medieval period.
Tempering the king’s anger. Beatrice of Aragon’s role in foreign relations
The wedding of Matthias Corvinus, king of Hungary and Bohemia, and Beatrice of Aragon in 1476 marked a high point of diplomatic relations between Central Europe and Italy, which strengthened an already strong interest of King Matthias in Italian matters. Although the highly educated Aragon princess has traditionally been viewed as a prominent intermediary of foreign influences in Hungary, most notably for bringing Renaissance art and Italian culture, her role in diplomacy is still not fully appreciated. By a close reading of the relations of papal legate Angelo Pecchinoli (1488–1490) and other sources, this paper examines the important role of Queen Beatrice in foreign relations. Given her familial connections and gender, Beatrice heavily complemented her husband’s goals and efforts, adding a feminine component to the rulership. Using a whole set of tools, such as gifts, affective performance, or correspondence, she was able to act as a proper diplomatic agent.
The here and the hereafter in the will of the Bishop of Coimbra Egas Fafes de Lanhoso
Not without crossing it with other sources, the testament of bishop Egas Fafes de Lanhoso, the source par excellence, because it is extensive and detailed, allows us to follow the life path of this XIIIst century prelate, in the family, in the career, in having and in being. The variety of documentation reflects his origin and family, marriage alliances and family sociability networks, the constitution of his patrimonial power, through legitimate means or usurpation, but also the ecclesiastic in the full exercise of his episcopal office. In it, made in Montpellier when he was on his way to take possession of the archdiocese of Santiago de Compostela, in its breadth and detail, from the initial harangue to the order and invocations, from the dispositive clauses linked to the good of the soul to the choice of burial place — in a tomb already carefully prepared by him —, to the countless material determinations with enumeration of executors, heirs and legatees, distribution of movable, immovable and animals, payment and collection of debts, we reveal a lot about the personal character of Egas Fafes, his concept of family, of kinship, of the episcopal “house” and of private life, of friendship and affection, of protectionism and gift, and, deep down, his attitude towards life, death and the afterlife.
The Houses of Unmarried Infantas: The Cases of Juana, Violante, and Isabel of Aragon (1375-1392)
The purpose of this study is to examine the formation, composition, and functioning of the households of three unmarried princesses (infantas) of late fourteenth-century Crown of Aragon; to consider the relationship between mothers and daughters and the purposes of the households, the personnel who compose those households, their fidelity of service and their familiar relation with other members of the same or other households. All arguments are supported by a very rich documentary sources
The Mudejar Communities of the Kingdom of Castile in the 15th Century: A Review of the Current State of Research
The last century of existence of the Mudejar communities is the best known by historians thanks to the greater abundance of documents. In this work, issues such as spatial distribution, institutions, society, culture and economy of the Muslims of the North of the Crown of Castile, are reviewed, pointing out their main characteristics.
Following Hippocrates’ Advice: Fleeing the Plague in 15th-Century Portugal
Known and feared in the Western world since ancient times, plagues, cyclical and devastating, left deep marks on society and in the memory of their survivors. Medical knowledge didn't allow for a cure, so rapid escape was the recommended practice. A practice that not all sections of the urban population, those most affected, could carry out.At the first sign of the plague, all those who could do so, left the city for places where the plague had not yet arrived. This is what happened to Prince João, who took refuge in the city of Beja around 1480, fleeing Lisbon. There, he tried to surround himself with all the conditions that would allow him to stop the plague entering Beja, following the example of what was normally done by the urban governments
The flour market in the orchard of 15th century Valencia
The information from cereal flour transactions in the rural environment of Valencia provides information that contrasts with that obtained from the public cereal market, the Almudín. With a higher price of the merchandise, a homogeneous and differentiated typology of consumers, the bakers, and a more differentiated offer in which predominated the owners of small manors and owners of proprietary mills integrated into the social elite of the city, not importers merchants, this extramural area shows the need to reconsider a cereal market that is more complex than the one considered by historiography so far.
Two place names, the same city: Segontia and Medinaceli in historical and documentary sources between the years 589 and 1121
In a previous article we formulated the hypothesis of identifying the current town of Medinaceli (province of Soria) with the ancient roman city of Segontia Lanca. In this article we Will delve into the history of this city from the year 589, it is first mention in Hispano-Visigothic documents, until the year 1121, when the bishopric of Sigüenza is founded. To do this, we are going to analyze the documentary and historical sources that deal with this period of more than five centuries
Hidalgos and hidalguía in Galicia in the Late Middle Ages
Since the 1960s, historiography has focused the study of the nobility from the perspective of the dominant groups, those who exercised a predominant role over society as a whole, relegating to the background those others who –despite their privileged status had a lesser influence and have been traditionally identified with the nobility. This paper offers some initial considerations about the origin, evolution, geographical distribution and characteristics of the nobility in Galicia in a period that extends between the last third of the 14th century and the first decades of the 16th century.
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